Sussex is a wonderful natural playground for dog lovers and their pets! If you’re keen to explore Brighton and the wider region with your four legged friends, make sure to take a look at the top dog-friendly walks in Sussex. Our top picks cover East Sussex and West Sussex alike!
Find Good Places to Walk Dogs in Sussex
What’s more, if you are making a full holiday of it, do take the time to look at our list of pet friendly days out in Sussex, too. Find plenty of places where you and your pup can explore together – why not? Keep reading to learn more.
The Absolute Best Walks in Sussex for Dogs
1. Birling Gap
The Birling Gap is a beautiful National Trust site that’s close to the South Downs, with breath-taking coastal views and fantastic greenery close to the cliffs. You’ll need to keep a close lead on your pups around here due to the livestock, however – so keep your eyes well peeled!
2. Petworth Park, Petworth
Petworth Park is aptly named and is one of the best-loved and best-known dog friendly exploration spots across the whole of West Sussex. This park is fully landscaped and backs onto a marvellous estate, but again, using leads here is an absolute must, simply because of the deer roaming!
3. Cowdray Castle, Midhurst
Cowdray Castle itself is actually a ruin of sorts, dating all the way back to Tudor times. While it is a shadow of its former self from centuries past, it still makes for a fascinating stroll and a great look around with pets. You can take on nearly 3km of meadow walks.
4. Firle Beacon, Lewes
The circular walk stretching around the mighty Firle Beacon in the South Downs remains one of the best strolls the park has to offer. Nice and quiet, this walk offers plenty of ups and downs over five and a half kilometres, with spectacular green vistas and farmland, too.
5. Sandgate Park, Pulborough
Down in Storrington, you’ll find the wonderfully-kept Sandgate Park, which offers nice paths and routes into lots of nice wooded thickets. This region also makes for a fantastic family friendly day out, meaning you can take all of your loved ones out for a stroll or two if you wish!
Magical Woodland Walks in Sussex with Dogs
1. Charlton Forest, Goodwood
Charlton Forest is absolutely massive. It’s quite hard to explain just how enormous this woodland spot actually is! Tackle up to 1,000 hectares across forest trails and thickets. There are moderate to difficult walking trails here, so go with a friend or at least limber up before visiting!
2. Nyman’s Wood, Handcross
Nyman’s Wood welcomes pets and their walkers all through the year, and you can even explore the gardens here, too, during the winter. This 3km walk offers simple to moderate strolling, with some uneven paths, but plenty of wonderful wooded sights to take in along the route. What more could you want?
3. Friston Forest, Eastbourne
If you thought Eastbourne was nothing but sandy stretches, you’d be seriously mistaken! Friston Forest is a great wooded breakaway point that offers you a bit of a break from the beach. Some areas here are a little hilly, but there’s a nice choice of trails. Many of the dog friendly beaches in Sussex are seasonal so check before setting off.
Best Coastal Walks in Sussex
1. Cuckmere, Seaford
Cuckmere down in Seaford takes you all the way down the river before connecting to local beaches. This really is a walk that connects the best of the country with the coast, making it an ideal walking point for pet lovers who enjoy variety. Keep your dogs on the lead, mind!
2. Beachy Head, Eastbourne
The clue really is in the name with this one! Beachy Head offers an absolutely gorgeous walk or two overlooking the ocean, and you’ll also be able to head down to local beaches. Keep in mind this spot can get pretty busy, and it’s not a roam-free zone.
3. Pett Level, Hastings
The Pett Level beach is a true highlight of Hastings, offering brilliant dog-friendly strolling across sandy straits. Some of this area can get a little muddy, so do be careful. Other than that, it’s one of the best dog walks in the region to get you close to the coast.
National Park Walks
1. Liss Forest
One of the top walks for experienced strollers in the heart of the South Downs, Liss Forest will take you and your pets down and around a circular stroll. This stretches just over three miles in length and offers an absolutely gorgeous patchwork quilt of colourful shrubs and countryside vistas.
2. Noar Hill
Noar Hill is another South Downs spot that takes you deep into the heart of the Sussex countryside, bringing a two and a half-mile walk to your careful attention. This is a moderately easy walk to manage, but as the name suggests, you are largely scaling a hill!
3. Selborne Common
Selborne Common tends to be the go-to walk in the South Downs for dog lovers who have more than a little experience in walking varied terrain. This is a gladeside walk, and it also has lots of little open areas for you to let your pups run free!
Last Word
Sussex is a big county with lots of wide-open spaces, and as you might imagine, these are absolutely perfect for dogs and their walkers. After all, you’re going to want wide open stretches if you really want to get the blood pumping! This is a wonderful corner of the country for national park walks, too. It is well worth looking into the South Downs if dog walking in Sussex is hot on your radar.
You should also consider finding spots where you and your dogs can relax and unwind on route, too! Make sure to read our complete guide on the best dog friendly pubs in Sussex to get a good idea of the local drinking spots.
Otherwise, Sussex is a unique county that really brings together the best of greenery and sandy shores. You might want to spend much of your time down in Brighton or Hastings, but why not? Some of the best coastal dog walks in Sussex are easy to spot down here. Ultimately, we set up this list to offer just a taster of what the walking trails are like across the local area.
You should also make a point to check out our guide to dog friendly Sussex rentals and Sussex dog friendly hot tub cottage holidays as there are lots of unique walks and trails around the city worth looking into all on their own. Get exploring with your pet!